Question by Frankiedee: Excessive hair loss – Hypo or Hyper thyroid? Antidepressants?
I had luxurious thick long hair. I have mild hypothyroidism but was not very regular with taking my meds.
In the aftermath of a bad depressive episode, I started losing some hair , but I put it down to stress and I was too depressed to do much about it anyway. Once I got a hold of myself, I doubled my weight loss efforts, so went to the doc who reproached me for not taking my meds regularly, and insisted I start with just 50mcg of T4.
Taking 50 previously hadn’t really helped with my weight problems, so I increased myself to 75 mcg daily. I didn’t think there’d be much harm in it. Also on a roll to sort myself out, around the same time I went to see a doc as my depression was too much to cope with. He put me on Zosert (Sertraline) 50 which really helped, and then upped me to Zosert 100. So up to now, I’ve been on T4 for 3 months and anti-depressants for 2.5 months.
Everything was going great but somewhere in the last 3-4 months I started losing hair excessively. I was too messed up so I cant even recall exactly when I started noticing. I kept thinking it would stop eventually, but without exaggeration, I’ve lost enough hair ( I’ve collected it, I know, gross) to make a wig for a 5 yr old. I’m even more depressed, I cry in the shower and I’m completely at a loss.
Because of all the medical changes and the stress/depression I can’t tell what is causing my hair loss. I want to see a doctor, but where I come from, hair loss isn’t taken very seriously, and if at all, I’d have to figure out what caused the hair loss together with them anyway so I may as well try to do that on my own first. What in the world do I do? As of last week, I made the following changes, are they enough? what more should I do?
1. Weaned myself off the anti depressants over a week ( I know.. i know.. i shouldn’t stop, but the hair loss is too much to bear and the doc said it was mild-moderate depression..besides he said my not taking thyroixine regularly was what depleted my body’s ability to cope with depression in the first place, so now im taking T4, im hoping it will be ok..withdrawal is bad, but manageable)
2. To give myself natural anti-depressants and encourage hair growth, I’m eating things like salmon, chicken, turkey, almonds, chocolate etc.
3. Taking the following supplements : Biotin 250, Zinc & Vitamin B complex, Vitamin E 200, Green Tea capsules, Evening primrose oil, Omega 3
4. Reduced my T4 dosage to the doctor recommended 50mcg.
Could it even be something else causing the hair loss? Who do I see? dermatologist? endocrinologist?
Best answer:
Answer by b_bardi99
you need to see the endocrinologist.
some people don’t react too well to T4 replacement only.
you need the T3 checked and may need T3 replacement too.
google this thyroid replacement:Armour thyroid
i have a friend who had her thyroid gland removed due to cancer.
After the operation,she had to take Synthroid:she couldn’t sleep,was shaky and had bad mood swings.
she takes the Armour brand, and feels normal.
What do you think? Answer below!
Tags:
antidepressants,
Excessive,
hair,
Hyper,
Hypo,
Loss,
Thyroid